Next-gen iPad could use new LED backlighting system to cut weight

Adding to the bevy of rumors surrounding a next-generation iPad release, a report on Thursday says Apple will likely use a modified LED backlight apparatus in a bid to make the 9.7-inch tablet as thin and light as possible.

NPD DisplaySearch told CNET that it expects Apple's fifth-generation iPad to sport a more efficient LED array, as well as a change to film-based touch sensor technology, as the company slims down its largest tablet offering.

"It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs," said analyst Paul Semenza.

Apple is widely expected to launch a redesigned 9.7-inch iPad with an aesthetic borrowed from the current iPad mini. Such a design was revealed in an image of a purportedly leaked next-gen iPad cover glass, which had thinner bezels and significantly modified dimensions in comparison with existing models.

Turning to display technology, Semenza said it's too soon to tell if the next-gen iPad will make the switch to more efficient IGZO panels. Rumors dating as far back as 2011 have Apple preparing to transition to the LCD tech, though such displays have yet to be used in the company's product lineups. Most recently, industry chatter has pointed to the inclusion of IGZO in this year's iPhone and iPad models, with the panels coming from Apple partner supplier Sharp.

Finally, Semenza said a third-quarter debut is most likely for the upcoming iPad. Prediction regarding the iPad's launch timeline have been highly varied, however, with some analysts claiming an October release, while other sources say the tablet could be unveiled this month.

Right. because it's too damn bulky as it current stands, right? Or perhaps newer LED tech allows as a byproduct a lighter substrate which helps offset the added battery life mass and more ICs on the logic boards?

New backlighting technology to make the iPad slimmer? The only thing that comes to mind is edge-lit backlight.

I'm thinking...

Better display tech that allows more light to pass through.
Better incorporation of panel that allows more light to pass through.
Brighter backlight tech for a given power requirement (cuts battery size).
Move from two backlights to one based on one or multiple items above.

I hope this iPad is stellar (like all the others have been). I've always wanted to get an iPad but haven't been able to justify the expense. Now that I'm done school and working, I can look at getting a new toy!

If it's going to be thinner and lighter, this is how they'll do it. As I understand it, the iPad 3 retina display required a more powerful backlight because of the pixel density, and the backlight is the part of the display that consumes the most energy, so it needed a bigger battery too. Use a more efficient backlight solution and you can reduce the battery and hence the size and weight of the device. The two heaviest components in an iPad are the glass and the battery. I don't think they're using the latest version of Gorilla Glass so they can probably lose some weight there too. Thickness is dependent mainly on the battery, but they could also reduce the thickness of the display (as they did using in-cell touch sensors on the iPhone) and the glass.